


Web of Lies

by DreamingOfSummer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-17
Updated: 2013-02-17
Packaged: 2017-11-29 14:53:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/688221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingOfSummer/pseuds/DreamingOfSummer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is a well-known fact that on the night of the 31st October the Dark Lord Voldemort killed James and Lily Potter and was destroyed by their infant son Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. What is little-known is that the true Secret Keeper was Peter Pettigrew and it was him, not Sirius Black, who betrayed the Potters and killed all those Muggles. But was that what really happened? Did the rat manage to trick his much smarter friends? What actually came to pass the last few months of the War?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Web of Lies

Chapter One

 

_The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool_.

Stephen King, _Needful Things_

 

**Ministry of Magic, First courtroom, October 1980**

          “… and thus I believe that it would be for the best if the Aurors are authorized to use the three unforgivable curses. We should show them that we are not afraid. The Ministry would give as much as it gets. We will not stand by and do nothing!” Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement finished his speech with, more or less, the same voice he had used at the beginning of it. The man, for all his ambitions and believes that he could be Minister, was no orator. His secretary most likely wrote the speech. She was a plump and rather unattractive woman with her blond curls, pink face, small eyes and crooked front teeth. The only thing she was capable of was writing good speeches. Which was probably why Crouch had yet to fire her, one Sirius Black mused.

          For over a year now the heir of the Black fortune had taken the official duties as a Wizegamont member. His most dear mother had not been impressed but the decision was, thankfully, not hers, it was Arcturus’. For all he had done, Sirius had always been grandfather’s favorite, so when Orion Black died and the elder man did not wish to sit at the boring missions, he had announced that his only grandson was taking his place as the heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. That had caused quite a stir in the pureblood society (and not only there) but the word of Lord Black was final and the rebel had no choice but to do as his grandfather bid. Regardless of his relationship with his parents and loud proclamations that he detested everything Black (and was that a lie) he was smart enough to see the benefits of his new position.

That didn’t make the meetings any more interesting. Rarely did anything worth his notice happen. The real political games, the one that involved cunning and double talk, the one that he loved took place behind closed doors with only a third of the members here present. They happened in Europe, among the elite of the elite from France and Germany, and Poland, and Russia. This, this was just a charade.

His only consolation was that James had to attend the meetings as well, being the Lord Potter, but his best mate held a different opinion. It was rather amusing to see what the other would do to get away from a Wizegamont meeting. However, as amusing it was, this still left Sirius on his own. Half of the other members hated him for being too ‘dark’, the other – too ‘light’ and in the end, the young man had to become more slippery than a snake, bolder than a lion and more cunning than Salazar Slytherin himself if he wished to survive and put forward a proposals of his own.

Speaking of that, his cousin (and how he hated that he was related to such bastard, bastard who refused to admit his ties to the House of Black) had just asked for permission for the Aurors to use the Unforgivable, hadn’t he? A year ago, Hades, even a month ago that would have been denied as soon as the word left the mouth of the Head of the DMLE. Now, Sirius was not so sure. He looked around trying to judge the others’ expressions and predict the outcome. A pointless activity since most of the members (at least those who’s opinion mattered) were too good in this game not to show any emotion.

Feigning disinterest Sirius still took notice of everybody’s expressions, of the small tale-tale signs that would make him aware of their vote.

Years of practice prevented him from scowling. Many, too many agreed with Crouch. Fear, he guessed, was the main factor. And allowing the Auror to kill meant less enemies but where will that lead. This was just his first move. Where will his cousin go next?

“… next time,” he had missed the beginning of the sentence. Oh well. Sirius stood up with the rest and stretched his arms. Some of the older members looked at him with a sneer on their faces, he just grinned at them. They looked away disgusted. The Black heir smirked inwardly. It was better if they underestimated him and thought him a fool. It was much easier that way. One is more likely to share with someone they considered lesser rather than a potential enemy on equal footing.

“That was interesting,” a voice said behind him. Sirius could almost feel the lips of the man next to his left ear. The warm breath caressed the back of his neck.

“But not overly so,” he replayed and turned around. “Cousin,” he nodded with a smile. Evan Rosier, his first cousin by marriage, though they were related by blood too, just to distant to remember.

“Sirius,” Evan was three years his senior and before he had gone to Hogwarts, something like a hero. The Rosier heir was tall with shoulder-length blond hair and light blue eyes, not unlike Narcissa’s. He had pale skin and the aristocratic features that were common for all of the so-called Old blood.

He was among the few that were given permission to address Sirius by his given name and no titles. James had once said that it was so because they had slept together, though both knew it was not even remotely close to the truth. The Black heir had had many lovers, both male and female, and only a handful could speak to him so familiarly. No, it was mostly because Evan Rosier was one of the few he considered friends.

“And why, if I may be this bold to ask, do you not find this interesting?” the sexual factor was there though, Sirius mussed as he tried not to be affected by the silk voice that washed over him.

“Because it’s just Bartemius’ first move and first moves are never as interesting as what follows,” his voice was steady and so was his breathing. No one could tell that he was affected in any way by the blond next to him. To everyone they were just two Wizegamont members discussing the latest eating on their way to the official apparition points.

And, oh, how he hated those. With the escalation of the war the Ministry had created the so-called apparition points in the building and if anyone wanted to leave that way they had to go there and not just leave on the spot. However, no matter how annoying they were, it was probably one of the few things the ‘Light’ side had done right the past couple of years.

“So you thing more will come?” as if he hadn’t reached the same conclusion.

“Of course,” if it wasn’t for Aunt Cassiopeia’s… ahem… lessons he would have shrugged at that point. “This is just the first part of his new plan for getting the Ministry seat. Not that he’ll keep it for long even if he does get it.”

“Oh? Do elaborate Sirius,” the hissing sound Evan made at the end of his name sent shivers down his back. It was a pity that almost all of his favorite cousins were Death Eaters.

“He will be a war minister and sooner or later this war will end. His methods will become too harsh, too radical and the public will want him gone,” he explained. The other hummed but before he could answer, they reached the points.

“I believe we can finish this discussion at my place,” it was an invitation Sirius didn’t want to pass.

“Of course,” and both apparated in Evan’s luxurious London house.

 

**Rosier London Residency, Main bedchamber, October 1980**

Several hours later, when the sun was setting and the entire room was colored in orange and pink, Sirius woke up from his place next to the other wizard. He spared a glance at Evan’s direction and once again took notice at how stunning he was when sleeping. His face was relaxed and the usually perfectly styled blond hair falling everywhere. He gently moved a strand from the other’s face and stood up carefully, so he wouldn’t wake the Rosier heir.

Quickly gathering his clothes via a silent Accio and with his bare feet charmed silent he padded to the attached bathroom. Several spells later after he had already dressed up the Black heir decided he looked presentable enough to attend his best friend’s dinner party. He would be late only by half an hour.

 

**Potter Home in Godric’s Hollow, October 1980**

Lily wasn’t happy with him but she rarely was. The redhead was beautiful and smart, her magical power was above average as well (which was why James had married her in the first place, otherwise he wouldn’t have even considered sharing a house with a New blood) but she had never really liked him. No surprise there. The two were different as the Sun and the Moon and equally stubborn. Their characters clashed every time the saw each other and no amount of peace talking done by James could prevent a verbal fight. Sirius could proudly say that he almost never lost.

However, as she was his best mate’s wife and he was her husband both had learnt to tolerate the other’s presence. That didn’t lessen her dislike nor did it make her blood any purer.

“What happened that you were so late this time?” she asked exasperatedly with her arms on her hips. Very un-lady like but if Lily wanted to attend social functions with James she would have to learn. Her position served to emphasize on her grown stomach and hips after his godson’s birth. While not much (and certainly not enough to come close to fat) she had gained some extra weight that needed to disappear or she to buy new clothes.

“Politics,” Sirius said shortly and gave his expensive wizarding coat to the House-elf that had come with Lily. With the corner of his eye, he saw her looking disapprovingly at his offhanded behavior toward the smaller creature. Like most Muggleborns she couldn’t accept the ‘slavery’ as she put it and tried to do her best to make Tippy feel as part of the family. His manners stopped him from rolling his eyes at the site of the Lady Potter thanking a House-elf. The previous one Lady Dorea Potter was a real Lady, Lily was just playing around not knowing the rules of the game.

“Padfoot!” James greeted him with more enthusiasm than his wife and gave him a manly hug and a pat on the back.

“Sirius,” Remus also stood up and hugged him not unlike James. The Black heir smiled at his werewolf friend. They hadn’t seen each other in over a month.

Peter didn’t move from his seat and only waved with a smile. A forced smile with fake enthusiasm if Sirius had to add and by the twitch in his bespectacled friend, James had noticed it as well.

“Black, as always, a pleasure,” Marline Makin said with a smile and slight incination of her head.

“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you” he replayed with a bow and kissed her hand. Marline was one of his oldest female acquaintances and a real beauty with her long curled brown hair, hazel eyes, porcelain skin and pink lips. She was also quite good in bed. Next to her on the table sat Merry MacDonald whose scow directed at him was the only sign of acknowledgement. She was considered pretty in their time at Hogwarts and even now but nothing more. While not a pain for the eye she was, for him at least, rather plain with her straight dark hair and dull brown eyes. She was also Lily’s best friend, so she hated him.

Not bothering to acknowledge her, Sirius sat on his place on James left side and took a sip from the red wine. It could have been better but it was probably the best most on the table have ever tasted.

“What happened in the Wizegamont?” James asked as he, too, took his seat and a gulp from the wine. He didn’t seem all that impressed by it either. Neither did Marlene for that matter. Breeding does ring true in the end. Not that the drink was bed, per say, it was just not good enough for three rich purebloods who had never had anything less then perfect.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” he answered softly.

“That bad?” only James’ eyes betrayed his uneasiness. His body language and voice seemed perfectly relaxed.

“Worse,” Marlene said. She looked grim and that made the others occupant of the table to stop their conversations and turn towards her.

“True. Crouch put forth a proposal that the Auror to be allowed to use the Unforgivables when fighting Death Eaters,” it didn’t escape his notice how Peter seemed to get paler.

“Well, that is not a bad thing, right?” Remus asked uncertainly. The three purebloods looked at him incredulously. Before they could say anything else Merry cut in.

“Of course not,” she said with her deep voice. It didn’t really suit her all that well. “It’s about time if you ask me.”

“I agree with you. As much as I dislike the idea of someone using those curses, it’s for the better,” Lily, too, joined the conversation. “Don’t you agree, dear?” she looked at James with those stunningly green eyes waiting for his agreement, which never came.

“Not at all. If such bill is passed Crouch will only get worse,” Sirius and Marlene nodded at his words, both seeing the potential treat Bartemius Crouch Senior could become if not stopped. The others didn’t seem to agree and the rest of the evening was turned into talk about politics, which only Sirius actually understood. James didn’t attended one meeting out of three and Marlene was preferred her piano to the backstabbing society she born into. Remus, as a werewolf, was unable get the actual feel of the dance, since he would never be part of it. Peter was a half-blood with a mother from a small House, so he could be able to understand the dangerous world of politics but his own nature working against him. Merry was in a position not unlike the one Remus was in and Lily simply refused to listen no matter how much Sirius and James tried to explain things to her. It was no wonder her husband chose to spend some of his nights with other women with a backgrounds similar to his own.

 

**Potter Home in Godric’s Hollow, Living room, October 1980**

          It was nearly midnight and the rest of the guest had long since left. Lily had retired for the night and baby Harry was sleeping soundly in his nursery. James Potter and Sirius Black were sitting comfortably on the expensive couches in front of the fire going through a bottle of much better wine taken directly from the Potter’s sellers.

          “What’s on your mind tonight?” the Black heir asked. His friend had this morbid look on his face that never meant well.

          “My son.”

          “What about Harry?” Sirius’ voice betrayed his concern. “Or is there a bastard?” it wouldn’t be a surprise to him if there was. No matter how much James loved Lily (and he did) he was also fond of other girls as well.

          “No, there isn’t… as far as I know,” and that didn’t seem to be all that much. “It’s about Harry,” and Lord Potter fell silent once again. His hazel eyes turned towards the dancing flame, the man himself deep in thought.  

          “Care to elaborate?” several minutes later Sirius’ patience had reached its limit.

          “He is my heir… my half-blood heir,” so that was the problem.

          “He is your heir and my godson. With the right training in politics and magic no one will dare say anything,” it would be harder than that and they knew it but Harry was the Potter heir and until Sirius sire a child also the next Black heir.

          “But there is more than that, isn’t it?” because the conversation couldn’t be about Harry’s future, since they had already discussed it several times.

          “There is a prophecy about him,” the other said after another long silence. “Or it could be about him but… I don’t know I don’t want to know,” he sounded so exhausted, more then he had ever been, even when his parents had died within a month from each other because of something that nobody knew what.

          “Since when do you believe in prophecies?” while one of the strongest, if most obscure, magical branch, most purebloods were content to just sit back and observe when and how will the words come true. Years of experience had taught them that much. however, most of the time, what happened was the opposite of what was expected. There were few that could correctly read the future.

          “Since the Dark Lord does,” if the situation wasn’t so grave Sirius would have pointed out that James was not supposed to refer to Voldemort as the Dark Lord. Even if the man was just that - a Dark Lord.

          “There is a prophecy that says that the one to defeat him has been born at the end of July and to parents who have trice defied him. only Harry and the Longbottom child fit that criteria. According to Dumbledore,” and why was James believing that manipulative old coot, “the Dark Lord,” here was it again. Thank Morgana Lily was not in the room, “has been obsessing over it. He might come from my son.”

          “Then we have to make sure Harry doesn’t die if such thing happens, no?”

          “And how do you propose we do that?” James looked angry at his apparent no caring attitude. Sirius would forgive his friend this one time for doubting him because of his obvious distress.

          “Well, we use Peter, obviously. You saw the edge of the mark, didn’t you?”

          “Of course I did!” so James wasn’t as stressed as he appeared. But then again, the two of them had been trained to pick up small sings since early childhood. “What do you suggest? We give him false information?”

          “No,” that was such a ridiculous thought. How would that help them? “Once we figure out how to protect the three of you we use Peter to set up a trap for the Dark Lord. Obviously, I have nothing to do with it.”

          “Your neutrality is legendary, old friend,” James said with a smile, the first real smile for the entire night. “Are you sure you want to do that to Peter, though?”

          “No, he is a friend but… family comes first and he may not betray you.” A fool’s hope. Peter was too weak to resist the Dark Lord. Almost everyone was too weak to do that.

          “I hope he is.”

          “So do I, James, so do I”

**Author's Note:**

> I know it may not be good but it will become better, I promise. I know Sirius and James seem OOC but that is the point. Everything will clear up in time.


End file.
